Ministry Partnership: Priscilla and Aquila’s Work

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Speaker 1: Some of the most influential work in God’s Kingdom happens quietly behind the scenes, often without fanfare

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Speaker 1: It happens in homes, workshops, and workplaces where ordinary people commit their lives and talents to God’s purposes.

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Speaker 1: Acts chapter 18 verses one through three introduces us to one such partnership, Priscilla and Aquila

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Speaker 1: Together, they modeled faithfulness, courage, and dedication, providing both practical support and spiritual mentorship to Paul and others in the early church

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Speaker 1: Their story reminds us that God often accomplishes great things through committed partnership, through shared work and shared vision, and through steadfast hearts united in service.

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Speaker 1: This is Ministry Partnership, Priscilla and Aquila’s work.

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Speaker 2: We gather here today with open hearts and eyes.

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Speaker 2: To grow in faith and truth in every word we find the pages of the word alive and full of grace, inspiring faith with him as

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Speaker 2: We seek his face, Bible bites, Bible bites, installing faith one bite at a time with

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Speaker 2: Every first we find our way to live our lives in his light and shine.

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Speaker 1: Welcome to Bible Bites, the podcast where we work to inspire faith one bite at a time.

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Speaker 1: I’m your host, Randy Black.

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Speaker 1: Today we turn to Acts chapter 18, verses 1 through 3, and meet Priscilla

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Speaker 1: Anaquilla, a couple whose partnership in faith and service became a cornerstone of early church ministry.

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Speaker 1: Paul arrives in Corinth, a busy and challenging city, and finds them recently displaced from Rome due to Emperor Claudius’ decree.

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Speaker 1: Alone in a new city, they could have focused solely on survival.

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Speaker 1: But instead, they opened their home, worked alongside Paul, and used their trade as a platform for ministry.

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Speaker 1: Their story shows that God often accomplishes great things through faithful partnerships, through shared work, shared vision, and shared devotion.

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Speaker 1: Ordinary people can support ministry, mentor others, and multiply the impact of the gospel.

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Speaker 1: As we explore their lives today on this episode, we’ll see how courage

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Speaker 1: Commitment, and collaboration helped advance God’s kingdom, and how their example challenges us to consider our own roles in partnership and in service

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Speaker 1: Before we jump into the scripture, let’s open up with a word of prayer.

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Speaker 1: Heavenly Father, we thank you for Priscilla and Aquila, whose lives remind us that

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Speaker 1: Faithfulness is often lived out quietly, in the midst of daily work, in partnership with others, and in the commitment to your kingdom purposes

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Speaker 1: Teach us to recognize opportunities to serve together, to support one another in practical and spiritual ways

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Speaker 1: and to bring our work, our homes, and our relationships under your guidance

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Speaker 1: Help us to be steadfast, courageous, and devoted, trusting that you will multiply our efforts for your glory.

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Speaker 1: We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus.

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Speaker 1: Amen.

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Speaker 1: Acts chapter 18, verses 1 through 3 tells us this

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Speaker 1: After these things Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth, and found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, and his wife Priscilla

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Speaker 1: Because that claw because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome and come unto them.

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Speaker 1: And because he was of the same craft,

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Speaker 1: He abode with them and wrought, for by their occupation they were tent makers

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Speaker 1: At first glance, these verses appear straightforward, yet they reveal much about God’s provision, partnership, and the intersection of work and ministry.

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Speaker 1: Priscilla and Aquila had recently fled Rome uprooted by a political decree.

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Speaker 1: They were strangers in Corinth, navigating displacement, uncertainty, and a new environment.

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Speaker 1: Many might have been overwhelmed or discouraged, yet they aligned their lives with God’s purposes, welcoming Paul into their home and into their lives.

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Speaker 1: Their faithfulness in a moment of personal instability illustrates that ministry often requires courage, perseverance, and the willingness to step into uncertainty alongside others.

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Speaker 1: Their occupation as tent makers is more than a historical footnote.

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Speaker 1: Tent making was skilled labor, providing for their needs while also offering flexibility to engage in ministry.

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Speaker 1: Paul’s decision to stay and work alongside them shows a profound principle.

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Speaker 1: Secular work and sacred ministry are not mutually exclusive

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Speaker 1: God can use our daily labor, our skills, and our diligence as platforms for kingdom impact.

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Speaker 1: Later in 1 Corinthians 16, 19, Paul will send greetings to the church that met in their home

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Speaker 1: confirming that their trade and home became a vessel for discipleship and for fellowship

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Speaker 1: Partnership is central here.

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Speaker 1: God rarely works through isolated individuals alone.

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Speaker 1: Moses had Aaron.

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Speaker 1: David had Jonathan.

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Speaker 1: Jesus had the twelve disciples.

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Speaker 1: Priscilla and Aquila embody this principle of collaborative faith.

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Speaker 1: Together they were able to support Paul, nurture other believers, and extend the reach of the gospel beyond what one could accomplish alone.

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Speaker 1: In Romans chapter 16, verses 3 and 4, Paul refers to them as helpers of my very heart, highlighting the deep mutual commitment and love that characterizes faithful ministry partnerships.

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Speaker 1: Furthermore, their home became a place of instruction, mentorship, and hospitality.

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Speaker 1: Later in Acts 18, verse 26, we see them teaching Apollos.

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Speaker 1: a passionate and knowledgeable believer showing that ministry partnership extends beyond shared work.

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Speaker 1: It includes shared teaching, guidance, and nurturing of others for kingdom purposes

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Speaker 1: Their willingness to open their home and their hearts exemplifies how everyday spaces and relationships become conduits for God’s work.

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Speaker 1: Finally, there is a quiet but profound lesson about faithfulness and adversity.

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Speaker 1: They were displaced, facing an unfamiliar city and uncertain circumstances.

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Speaker 1: Yet,

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Speaker 1: They persevered in work and in ministry.

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Speaker 1: True partnership often requires us to step into discomfort and uncertainty, trusting God to multiply our efforts when we remain faithful in collaboration

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Speaker 1: With others Priscilla and Aquila remind us that faithful partnership is intentional and aligned with purpose

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Speaker 1: They did not merely share a home or a trade.

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Speaker 1: They chose to unite their lives around the mission of advancing the gospel

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Speaker 1: By welcoming Paul into their home, they provided not only lodging, but a place of encouragement, teaching, and support.

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Speaker 1: This illustrates that God often works through partnerships where shared vision, mutual commitment, and complementary gifts amplify kingdom impact beyond what any individual could accomplish alone

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Speaker 1: True partnership requires deliberate alignment of hearts, talents, and objectives, all for God’s glory.

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Speaker 1: Their story also demonstrates that work and ministry are inseparable in God’s economy.

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Speaker 1: Tent making was their profession.

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Speaker 1: Yet through it they created a platform for service, discipleship, and influence.

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Speaker 1: Their daily labor was not separate from their calling.

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Speaker 1: It became the vehicle through which God provided for them and positioned them to serve others

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Speaker 1: This teaches us that faithful work done with integrity and purpose can become a powerful tool for ministry and witness in ways that may not be immediately visible

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Speaker 1: Yet it bears eternal significance.

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Speaker 1: Another profound takeaway here is the role of hospitality and mentorship in advancing God’s kingdom.

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Speaker 1: Priscilla and Aquila’s home became a place where new believers could be nurtured, and later where Apollos received guidance in understanding the gospel more fully.

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Speaker 1: This reminds us that ministry is not only about preaching or teaching from a pulpit, but also about opening our lives, homes, and hearts to others

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Speaker 1: Faithful partnership often involves practical, relational, and spiritual support, forming the foundation for growth and discipleship in ways that ripple far beyond the immediate moment.

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Speaker 1: Their example also shows that courage and perseverance are essential in ministry partnerships.

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Speaker 1: Having recently fled Rome due to political persecution.

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Speaker 1: They could have withdrawn into safety or focused solely on survival.

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Speaker 1: Instead, they stepped into an uncertain city, continuing their work and embracing ministry alongside Paul

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Speaker 1: True partnership in God’s work often requires facing discomfort, facing uncertainty, and even facing personal risk with steadfastness, trusting that God

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Speaker 1: can use even challenging circumstances to accomplish his purposes through united, faithful service.

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Speaker 1: Finally, Priscilla and Aquila teach us that partnership multiplies impact and prepares others for kingdom service.

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Speaker 1: By combining their skills, hospitality, and faithfulness, they not only strengthened Paul, but also shaped future ministry leaders

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Speaker 1: Their mentorship of Apollos is a vivid example of how God uses collaboration to equip others for greater work in the kingdom.

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Speaker 1: This reminds us that investing in partnership is not just about immediate results, but about leaving a lasting generational influence that extends

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Speaker 1: the reach of the gospel far beyond what we are able to accomplish alone.

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Speaker 1: Priscilla and Aquila’s story invites us to consider the ways God calls us into partnership with others for his kingdom.

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Speaker 1: Their lives were ordinary in many ways.

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Speaker 1: They worked with their hands, managed a household, and faced uncertainty as recent exiles.

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Speaker 1: But their choice their choice is to serve, to support.

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Speaker 1: And to mentor others, we’re extraordinary in impact.

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Speaker 1: Reflection begins with examining our own opportunities for collaboration.

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Speaker 1: Where might God be inviting us?

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Speaker 1: to step into faithful partnership, offering our skills, time, and resources to advance his work alongside others.

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Speaker 1: Their courage and their perseverance also challenge us to remain steadfast in the face of uncertainty.

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Speaker 1: Just as Priscilla and Aquila did not retreat when circumstances were difficult.

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Speaker 1: We’re reminded that ministry often unfolds in situations that are uncomfortable or unpredictable.

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Speaker 1: Faithful service requires trusting God’s provision and timing, even when the results are unseen or delayed

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Speaker 1: Standing firm with others in shared purpose can amplify our impact in ways we may never fully measure

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Speaker 1: Hospitality and mentorship emerge as practical expressions of partnership, opening their home and guiding fellow believers

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Speaker 1: They provided space for growth, for learning and for encouragement.

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Speaker 1: In reflecting on our own lives, we can ask, how might

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Speaker 1: We create environments, either physical or relational or spiritual, where others can be nurtured in faith

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Speaker 1: Ministry is rarely about preaching or teaching.

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Speaker 1: It often happens in the quiet, relational spaces where discipleship, encouragement, and guidance take root.

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Speaker 1: Finally, their example shows that faithful partnership prepares the way for future ministry.

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Speaker 1: By investing in relationships and shared service today, we participate in a ripple effect that extends beyond ourselves.

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Speaker 1: Just as Priscilla and Aquila equipped Paul and later Apollos, God can use our commitment to partnership to shape others for the work he calls them to do.

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Speaker 1: Reflection calls us to ask this.

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Speaker 1: How can our consistent, collaborative faithfulness today prepare others and ourselves for the purposes God has planned?

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Speaker 1: Let’s close out our study of the scripture with a word of prayer.

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Speaker 1: Lord, we thank you for the example of Priscilla and Aquila, a faithful couple.

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Speaker 1: whose partnership advanced your gospel and nurtured believers.

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Speaker 1: Help us to walk in unity with others in service, mentorship, and shared ministry

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Speaker 1: Teach us to recognize opportunities to combine our gifts and to use our homes, work, and relationships to glorify you.

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Speaker 1: May we be steadfast in partnership, courageous in service, and faithful in collaboration, trusting that you will multiply our efforts and accomplish your purposes through our combined devotion

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Speaker 1: We ask these things in the name of your son, Jesus.

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Speaker 1: Amen.

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Speaker 1: Before we close today’s episode, I want to share just one more brief thought with you

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Speaker 1: Now, as we bring our time together today to a close, let’s briefly reflect on the truth we’ve considered today.

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Speaker 1: Remember that ministry often thrives in the quiet, faithful work of ordinary people working together.

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Speaker 1: Priscilla and Aquila’s partnership shows us that shared vision, mutual support

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Speaker 1: and dedication to God’s purposes can multiply impact in ways one person alone could never achieve.

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Speaker 1: Their faithfulness in work

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Speaker 1: Home and mentorship provides a model for how collaboration strengthens the church and nurtures discipleship.

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Speaker 1: Next time on Bible Bytes, we’ll continue exploring their ministry as we turn to Teaching the Truth, Priscilla’s role in Apollo’s growth.

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Speaker 1: That’s from Acts chapter 18, verses 24 through 26.

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Speaker 1: You’ll see how mentorship, guidance, and courage and teaching helps help others to grow in knowledge, in faith.

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Speaker 1: and in effectiveness in God’s work.

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Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Bible Bites and join us on that next episode as we work to inspire faith.

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Speaker 2: One bite at a time.

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Speaker 2: Bible bites.

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Speaker 2: Bible bites.

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Speaker 2: Inspiring faith one bite at a time.

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Speaker 2: We first we find our way to live our lives in his life and shine.

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Speaker 3: Bubble bites, bubble bites, inspiring faith one bite at a time